Atomic Love

At the end of World War II, Thomas Weaver broke Rosalind Porter’s heart. Now, four years later, he’s back in her life, and he needs her help. As if the heartbreak weren’t enough, another man has asked for her aid: Charlie Szydlo, a Special Agent for the FBI. He suspects Weaver of passing nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union and wants Rosalind to get close enough to find out the truth. As she grows closer to Weaver, however, she finds old emotions rising, along with a new affection for Szydlo. Whom will she choose to help? Where do Weaver’s loyalties truly lie?

I’ve always had a weakness for historical spy narratives, and I was fascinated by the interplay between the three protagonists. However, I found myself far less interested by the sudden jumps back in time to Rosalind’s childhood and her work on the Manhattan Project, and to Szydlo’s time as a POW. While both of these informed whom the characters have become by the time the main narrative takes place, I found myself constantly waiting to return to that narrative.

Those aside, Atomic Love is a gripping, beautifully written tale. Jennie Fields has a way with short sentences that fit together into a melody which gives the book a wistful, at times anxious air that fits perfectly with the story, something even the distractions into the past doesn’t ruin.